Christmas from Hell
by Katia11
Summary: "The bland hotel curtains swayed in the Florida breeze. There were Christmas lights hung in the palms outside and Christmas music could be heard playing from the speakers near the pool." Bittersweet one-shot.


Gosh, I suck. Enjoy anyway! I don't own JN. Love, Katie

Christmas from Hell

The bland hotel curtains swayed in the Florida breeze. There were Christmas lights hung in the palms outside and Christmas music could be heard playing from the speakers near the pool. He rubbed his temples without much result. The current migraine he had was most certainly his own fault since he'd consumed way too much liquor for his own good at the NASA Christmas Eve party. But he'd promised George that he'd have this done by tonight.

Why had he promised that again? Oh, yeah because George was expecting him to show it to Dr. Cooper so they could get the green light. That's why he was here in this vacant hotel room. For a moment his mind wandered to his friends, wondering what they were doing on this Christmas.

Carl was in New York with the latest of a long string of girlfriends who were chasing him because of the success of his llama farm, Sheen was in Paris being a male model for some big fashion show and Libby was with him doing some promoting for a new band.

He found himself wondering what Cindy was doing this Christmas.

Cindy, the blonde haired ball of fiery passion he had given up years and years ago to chase his dream. It had been mutual of course, but he often found himself missing her. How they fought like there was no tomorrow, her temper that was never easily abated, and her green eyes sparking with electricity that would shoot down any other man. She was Cindy and she had a special place in his heart. She always would and he admitted to himself that despite the hoard of fan girls that he had attained in the past year, she often came into his thoughts. He found himself missing her laughter, the way she made his pillows smell like lavender. She always had been so good at arguing it wasn't surprising that she'd pursued a career in law. She represented only the biggest cases and often won them when no one thought she could. She was also engaged to be married to her law firm partner.

His heart sunk as he fiddled with the schematic papers in his hands. He tried to remind himself that he had no reason to be downcast! He had won the Nobel Prize in bulk just like the Chrono-arch had shown. But success not as fulfilling as he hoped it would be. He often found himself wishing that he had taken that different road so many years ago, that he hadn't been so scared of what was staring him in the face. He shook his head in a fruitless attempt to shoo away the memories of the one who got away.

December 25th was almost over and he hadn't talked to Cindy in years. Maybe he should give her a call. He grabbed his cell phone and nervously played with the contact list, she was listed there, as CINDY V. His thumb paused before pressing the button. He knew that he was only feeling this way because he was hung over. It was a side effect that he often dealt with. It was one of the many reasons he really didn't drink much. He yawned, his tired brain beckoning him to sleep. If he did this he would regret it. But he couldn't seem to stop himself.

It rang once, it rang twice. Maybe she had changed her cell phone number. This hadn't occurred to him till now.

"Who are you and what the HELL do you want at four in the morning on CHRISTMAS?"

Oh, yeah that was Cindy for sure. He breathed in and out a few times.

"Hello?" She asked quietly obviously unnerved by the silence. "Libby is this some sick joke?"

"You still talk to Libby?" he questioned. "Not surprising I suppose since you two were always the best of friends."

There was a long silence as though she was trying to figure out where she knew the voice from. "J-J-Jimmy is that you?" She stuttered.

"Yeah," he replied.

"Holy shit I didn't recognize your voice! Just how long has it been?"

The curse made him laugh. "A few years, I guess."

"Yeah, well it for sure was before your big Nobel Prize win, congrats on that by the way. Guess you must be proud of yourself."

"I saw it coming."

"You were always ridiculously egotistical."

"And you were always good at pointing it out." She laughed and the sound was like honey to his ears.

"Well, you needed someone to point it out."

"Touché, oh by the way I followed the Odessa Reed trial. Man that was such a surprise!"

"You did?"

"Of course I did! It was front page news for what, three weeks?"

"Something like that."

"You were fantastic."

"Oh, thanks Neutron. What are you up to these days other than winning prizes you don't deserve?" Her trademark use of his surname made him smile.

"Well, I'm in Florida for a few months to get the green light on a design for a new rocket that will be able to take man farther in space then we've ever been before."

"Just don't blow anyone up, got it Nerdtron?"

"I'll try my best. What are you up to?"

"Well, I'm in New York now. I have my own law firm and I'm getting married soon! Surely, you've heard that on the news." The conformation of his suspicion made his heart crush in on itself. "Jimmy? Are you still there?"

"What?"

"You just got really quiet for like three minutes. Are you all right?"

"I have a bit of a migraine. Went to a party last night, drank too much punch I think."

"Oh okay, gotcha," she laughed.

"Who is the unlucky guy?"

"You mean George? Oh, he's a sweetheart. He is my partner in the law firm I founded. He proposed about four months ago. We are planning a wedding for sometime in April. Speaking of April, have you found yourself a girl yet?"

She still remembered April? He chuckled and took a sip of his water that was sitting on his nightstand. "No, I've sort of been married to my experiments for the past few years. NASA has provided me with such an excellent lab, I couldn't help it."

"Typical Neutron, passing on life to see what else he can blow up."

"You know me too well," he laughed and she tried to disguise a yawn but failed.

"You are tired. I'm sorry for calling at this hour."

"It's okay; I actually fell asleep at my desk at work. I've been working on a big case. I guess I didn't even realize that I did it."

"You aren't celebrating Christmas with George?"

"No, he's not really into Christmas."

"You haven't been working too hard, have you?"

"You sound exactly like George. But these cases don't win themselves you know."

He laughed as he pressed the receiver against his cheek. It was beginning to get warm. "So, what made you call on this Christmas?"

"Oh, I decided I hadn't talked to you in a while. I honestly wasn't really expecting you to answer."

"I have unusually late hours thanks to my occupation."

"I can bet."

There was an uncomfortable silence and he heard a car door close.

"You must be on the way home."

"Yeah, I have an apartment that I share with George just a few minutes from the office."

"Is there snow there?"

"Tons and it's so cold! I miss Texas."

"I miss it too. Do you remember that one Christmas when I gave you those DVD interactive glasses?"

"And I got stuck inside that cheesy romance movie? Oh, gosh yes."

"HEY! It's not my fault you have a secret love for romantic comedies."

"I USED to have a secret love for them, that experience kind of drilled it out of me."

"Remember when Sheen kissed you?"

"Oh, GOD, don't remind me!" They both laughed as they recalled the memory. "Everything was so messed up, Libby and you, Sheen and I. Things were the exactly the opposite of how they were supposed to be."

"Thinking back it is really funny though."

"Agreed," she replied as he heard her fumbling with an apartment door.

"You are home?"

"Holy crap!" She squealed happily. The sheer volume made him remove the receiver from his ear.

"What? Are you all right?"

"I'm ecstatic! George is here!"

"Oh, he is?"

"There are rose pedals on the floor leading to our….. I'm really sorry but I think I have to go."

"I thought you said he was out of town."

"Guess he came back to surprise me."

"Oh."

"Maybe you can call tomorrow?"

"I think I might, if that's all right."

"Yeah, is noon a good time for you?"

"That sounds good."

"Merry Christmas, Jimmy," she whispered.

"Merry Christmas," he replied and hung up the phone. He noticed that a few tears had stained his cheeks.

Cindy Vortex had forgotten him. Though he hadn't forgotten her, she had moved on. She was engaged, she was getting married and she was happy. This was the Christmas from hell.

But, at least he had the promise of another conversation tomorrow.

With that he closed his eyes and drifted into sleep.

-x-


End file.
